Silicone rubber powders are often mixed with cosmetic materials for improving feel of use. In cosmetic materials, silicone rubber powder is usually mixed with oiling agents, and stability of the oil-absorbing properties of such powder influences the stability of viscosity and feel of use of the cosmetic material.
A silicone rubber powder is prepared, e.g., by curing a liquid silicone rubber composition by dispersing the composition in water and then removing water (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (hereinafter referred to as “Kokai”) S62-243621 and Kokai S63-77942). After preparation, the silicone rubber powder is packaged and stored at room temperature prior to shipment, and during such storage, particles of the powder aggregate, and with a lapse of time increase their oil-absorbing properties. Although it would be desirable for the silicone rubber powder to have stable oil-absorbing properties directly after production, until the present time this objective could be achieved only after storing the silicone rubber powder for several months at room temperature prior to shipment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for stabilization of oil-absorbing properties of a silicone powder suitable for use in cosmetic materials, especially for stabilization of the aforementioned properties in the aforementioned powder mixed with oil.